Animal trap



C. E. STREED Aug. 14, 1951 ANIMAL .TRAP

Filed Deo. 11, 1946 Patented Aug. 14, 1951 S PATENT OFFICE ANIMAL TRAPClifford E. Streed, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application December 11, 1946, Serial No. 715,541-

My invention relates 'broadly to automatic loadingdumping devicesandmore specifically Ito devices of this type which are particularlyadaptedfor use as animal traps.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass immediately above described which is inexpensive to manufacture,rugged in construction, and relatively trouble-free in operation.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an animaltrap having an elongated vertically swinging runway which automaticallyreleases its load when the load reaches a predetermined point thereonand which will automatically reset itself thereafter. The above andstill further objects of my invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed speciication, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to thedrawings wherein like charac- 'ters indicate like partsthroughout the several Fig. l is a vertical axial section of myinvention, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a View corresponding to Fig. l, but showing a dierent positionof some of the parts; and

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, some parts being shownin section and parts being shown in bottom plan.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a base in the form ofa cover plate having a rectangular opening Ia therein and adapted to bemounted on top of a pail or other receptacle 2. Secured to the baseplate I and depending therefrom, adjacent one end of opening Ia, is astationary support 23 in the form of a bracket. Diametrically opposed tothe stationary support 23 is a depending flange 4 which, together withthe support 23, limits the horizontal movements of the base plate I onthe pail 2.

The stationary supporting bracket 23 depends from cover plate I adjacentone end of opening Ia and has pivoted thereto, as at 24, a swingingsupport 25. Swinging support 25 is made up of a pair of side members 26joined by cross bars 21 and 28 and a stop member 29 adapted to engagethe member 23. Toggle links 30 and 3l respectively are pivotallyconnected to swinging support 25, and the stationary support 23, as

indicated at 32 and 33 respectively, and to each other as at 34. Atorsion spring 35, carried by the pivot pin 24, has one end engaging thestationary support 23 and its other end engaging the cross member 21 ofthe swinging support 25 tending to bias the swinging member 25 toward sclaims. (ci. 1s- 70) a horizontal or full line position. as in Fig. l.Pivotally secured to the side walls 26 oi' swing; ing member 25, at apoint outwardly spaced from the pivot 32 as at 36, is a tripping lever31. The lower end of tripping lever 31 is provided with an upturned toe38 which is adapted to engage the toggle link 30 and to impart movementtherete away from the stop member 29. The upper end of tripping lever 31projects above the plane of supporting member 25, as indicated at 39,and is there rigidly joined to the intermediate porlion of an elongatedrunway 40 as at- 42. A spacer 4I is secured to the cross member 21 ofthe swinging member 25 and retains the runway 40 in the same plane asthe cover plate I, until the weight on the runway 40 goes beyond thepivot axis 3B far enough to trip the toggles 30 and 3|, so as to dumpthe load.

Secured to and projecting upwardly from the base member I, one adjacenteach side of the runway 40, are guide walls I 9 one of which is shown inFigures 1 and 2. At. the end of the track formed by this runway 40 andrigidly secured to the base I, is a covered bait box 20. Preferably, andas shown, bait box 2u is provided with an inwardly sloping Wall 2limmediately adjacent the free end of the runway 40. Wall 2i at its lowerend, is provided with perforatlons 22 through which the aroma from thebait A. therein, is adapted to exude.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, it shouldbe apparent that my invention is capable of further modications, allwithin the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a device of the class described, a stationary support, a swingingsupport pivoted at one of its ends to said stationary support on ahorizontal axis, cooperating toggle links connecting said supports, saidtoggle links positioning said swinging support in a load supportingposition when said links are in approximately dead center relationship,an elongated runway overlying said swinging support in spaced relationthereto, means on one of the supports stopping movements of thetogglelinks in one direction at a point beyond dead center, and a trippinglever nivotally secured to said swinging support, the lower end of saidlever being adapted to engage one of the links of said toggle 4and movesaid toggle links in a direction away from said stop means, the upperend of said tripping lever project-ing above the plane of said swingingsupport and being rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of saidrunway.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the pivot axis of thetripping levei` is spaced outwardly from said stationary support beyondthe pivot axis of the toggle link in said swinging support.

3. In an animal trap, a base plate adapted to be positioned over an opencontainer and having an elongated opening therein, a stationary supportVdepending from said base plate adjacent one end of said opening, aswinging support pivoted at one of its ends to said stationary supporton a horizontal axis, cooperating toggle links connecting said supports,said toggle links positioning said swinging support in a load supportingposition when said links are in approximately dead center relationship,an elongated runway overlying said swinging support in spacedrelationship thereto, means on one of the supports stopping movement ofthe toggle links in one direction at a point beyond dead center,

4 stop means, the upper end of said tripping lever projecting above theplane of said swinging support and being rigidly secured to theintermediate portion of said runway, means biasing said toggle linkstoward dead center, guide means secured to said base plate adjacent theopposite longitudinal edges of said opening. and a bait containeradjacent the end of said opening oppositiev said depending support;-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,012,460 McCombs Dec. 19, 19111,982,870 Howland Dec. 4, 1934 FOREIGN-PA'IEN'ISA Numljer Country Date9,709 Great Britain of 1913

